Notes from Coca Cola Park

About a thousand people made it out to the Reading–Lehigh Valley exhibition on a frigid evening in Allentown. Some notes of interest:

–The rotation for Lehigh Valley in the first few games: Thursday: Worley; Friday: Bump; Saturday: Bonine.

–The Opening Day starter for Reading is Josh Zeid. Following Zeid will be Hyatt, Edell, Kissock and JC Ramirez.

–20/24 IronPigs have major league experience.

–A very rough first inning for JC Ramirez, who looked extremely out of sync. Four runs on five hits, two stolen bases allowed. He settled down in the second, retiring the side in order including a strikeout of Kevin Frandsen on a high fastball. He was hit hard again in the third, but pitched out of a jam, getting Brandon Moss on a comebacker to end the inning. Ramirez line: 3IP 7H 4ER 0BB 2K, 63 pitches, 43 for strikes, 2 wild pitches.

–Harold Garcia has hit two balls hard in the early going with a Single in the first inning and a double to right-center in the third off of ‘Pigs starter Brian Bass.

–Brian Bass started for Lehigh Valley and has pitched in and out of trouble through the first three innings, although hasn’t allowed a run. Juan Perez relieved Bass in the 4th. Bass’s line: 3IP 3H 0ER 1BB 4K.

–A very impressive inning in relief by Juan Perez for Lehigh Valley, retiring the side in order, striking out Carlos Rivero and Derrick Mitchell.

–Good, clean two innings of work for Michael Schwimer as he retired the RPhils in the 5th and 6th in order, both innings.

–Jason Grilli followed Schwimer, throwing the 7th for Lehigh Valley and pitched well, retiring Reading in order, including a strikeout of Tim Kennelly.

–Phillipe Aumont threw the 7th inning for Reading and was up and down. AFter a leadoff bloop single by Robbie Hudson, Aumont struck out Jeff Larish and Brandon Moss on six pitches total. He then lost his control a bit and walked both Josh Barfield and Eric Kratz before getting Rich Thompson to fly out to end the inning,

–1B Jeff Larish has looked good at the plate for Lehigh Valley with two doubles and 3 RBI’s.

–Interesting inning of work for BJ Rosenberg. He was throwing hard, but was hurt by a leadoff walk and two hits including Larish’s two run double. He did strike out the side (Young, Moss, Barfield).

–Matt Rizzotti was on base twice, with a walk and an RBI single in the 8th off of Scott Mathieson.

The article on Truby carries a quote from Dugan, something like – glad to have another year with Truby , guys like me an Rupp that were at Williamsport last season can really benefit from it. How’s that.

Ready for some real games but the LHV rotation just looks useless. Only Worley has any chance to spend a full season on a Major League roster. No upside for the rest of them. I guess the plan is to have the quality bullpen pitch 4 innings a game.
LHV lineup does not appear to have much power and is full of AAAA lifers but maybe Larish and Young will hit well. This group is probably okay from being able to support the big league team since, as mentioned, most have been to the show before.

I guess the Phils want to get a better look at Kissock. Since he did well in Az Fall ball, it is worth a shot. Curious to see how Galvis and Garcia perform.